Raw
by The water is warm
Summary: Mafia boss Edward Cullen never could have expected how a young, broken witness would forever change his life. This is a story capturing the fragility of human kind.
1. Chapter 1

**Warning: This story will contain mentions of non-con and abuse. Please do not continue if you are under 18 or easily triggered.**

 **I don't own twilight.**

Brushing his hands off on his pants, Edward watched his cousins drag the senator's body to the dumpster. They moved silently, one jumping up to pull the limp man up while the other pushed from below. Their black gloves blended in with the dark alley, only slightly illuminated by a street lamp nearby. They easily finished the job and just as the larger man jumped down, the blonde on the ground froze, motioning with his finger toward the back of the dumpster.

Still in the strange silence, they moved forward, three guns perfectly aimed, senses fully alert. Edward went to one side of the large purple container while the other two crept around the other. Knowing it was probably just an animal, Edward wasn't too concerned, but they needed to make sure there were no witnesses. The space between the wall and garbage was infinitesimal, and for a moment, he saw nothing. However, after his eyes adjusted slightly he narrowed his brows.

"Gotcha." His voice was deadly, and the outline of the small body shrunk down even further, shaking violently all the while. "Move backward slowly or I'll shoot your fucking brains out." He didn't bother warning against funny business, surely they weren't that stupid. A small whimper sounded, proving his suspicions the little figure was female. He couldn't make out any features on her, but her face was pointed directly at the barrel of his gun and the violent shivers persisted as she seemed frozen in place. An animal, cornered. He eyed the space again quickly, there was no way himself or either of his cousins would fit. "I won't ask again." He said while shifting suddenly so the gun was almost touching her face. She clamored back instinctually, landing right in the arms of the larger man. Shockingly, she remained silent as the crisp winter air, not moving after her initial startle. Edward hurried around the dumpster, taking in the image of the large man looking a bit confused as the tiny little girl he held gave up no struggle, eyes pinched tight shut as she lay limp. Moving slowly he walked forward, eyes flashing to the blonde who stood ramrod straight, not even glancing at the girl as his eyes roamed up and down the alley. Up close, the girl looked awful, blue tinged lips bitten all the way through, dirty, tear stained cheeks, unwashed long brown hair and a frame that could only be described as skeletal covered in a tattered pair of jeans and much too thin shirt. It would be so easy to kill her, reach over and snap her scrawny, shaking neck, but he careful refrained. He didn't hurt women, or children for that matter, for it seemed the girl lay somewhere in between.

"Let's go."

"You sure you don't wanna deal with this one here?" Asked the blonde one carefully.

"Don't question me, just get in the damn car." He responded, none the happier about the situation. They quickly loaded into the inconspicuous black Volvo, Edward driving while the blonde sat next to him and the large man took the back row with the shivering child.

Once they got going, all three men relaxed slightly, and with the exception of Edward stared at the girl.

"What's your name chit?" Asked the large one.

In the mirror Edward saw huge, terrified brown eyes open and stare, terrorized, at the men. He quickly turned his eyes back to the road.

"Well? Don't think those big eyes are gunna get you out of this. What's your damn name?" Snapped the blonde. She jumped and whimpered, eyes seeming to widen even more as she pushed herself hard into the far corner, knobby knees tucked tight to her chest.

"Can't you talk bitch?" Swore the large one, becoming impatient.

Finally, a small, raspy voice spoke, "I-I-" the sound of a slap cut off her stuttering.

"Answer me when I ask you a fucking question. For the love of god what is your name?"

"I-I-I" she seemed to fall apart, her shaking increasing and her head tucked into her knees as she sobbed. The large man made a sound suspiciously like a growl before looking up at Edward.

"Do we have any chloroform in here?" Spoke the bronze haired man, exasperated.

"Nope. I didn't realize I needed to stock for company today." Said the blonde, glaring slightly.

"Well don't blame me, it's your own damn fault for not checking the property first." The blonde scowled in response, looking back out the window. At least, he thought, the girl seemed to be a run away. Nobody to be missed. Utterly unimportant.

After several more minutes of silence, they finally pulled up to gate, where Edward leaned over, typing in a code before continuing through. Stopping in front of a rather obscure, oversized mansion, Edward turned to look at the girl again with an emotionless mask firmly in place. Reaching back, he pulled her chin up firmly to look at her face.

"Your name." His voice sent another shiver down her spine. It left no room for opposition, and she willed her mouth to move. With terrified eyes she looked up at the stone cold face, and flinched away from his piercing eyes.

"I-Isabella sir." Her voice shook horribly but she managed to get it out.

"I meant your surname." Her chin began to ache from the force of his fingers but she didn't dare try to pull away. Black spots flashed in front of her eyes and she struggled to stay conscious, trying to remember the last time she ate.

"Swan." She whispered quietly. Edward relaxed slightly, seeing the other to do so as well out of the corner of his eyes.

"And your mother, what is her maiden name?" The girl looked down, sniffing quietly.

"I don't have a mother." He narrowed his eyes dangerously.

"Don't play these fucking games with me I'm really not in the mood."

"I-Im sorry I don't know, really I don't." She whimpered that pathetic sound once more. Edward nearly growled and turned to look at the other two for a moment.

"I'm taking her back to my place. Keep an eye on the media attention, I'm sure this'll be all over the news within hours." The larger one hesitated, looking at the child again.

"You sure you don't want some help?" Taking in his lewd face Edward sighed.

"Just get out of the damn car Royce. And James, see what you can find on this one." The blonde nodded and they both stepped out.

After making sure the doors were locked, Edward sent a warning glare at "Isabella" and drove off. He glanced back every few seconds, but she didn't move from the small ball she had curled herself into. He took a deep breath, calming down a bit more. At least the senator was taken care of, the little bastard had gone in over his head with the wrong people, and got what he deserved.

Glancing back he was struck once more by her tiny size, she appeared as though she hadn't eaten in weeks, and judging by how he found her, he wouldn't be surprised if that wasn't too far from the truth. "Are you hungry girl?" He tried to sound gentle but it came out a bit harsh and she jumped.

"N-no?" It came out like a question. He glanced at the rear view mirror to see her looking right at him, though she quickly averted her eyes.

"If you can be good Ill get you a burger." She looked terrorized.

"I- don't eat meat. I'm sorry." She added in that high, wavering voice. His eyes ran over the soft hair on her bony wrists that weren't covered by her flimsy shirt.

"It looks to me like you don't eat at all." She flinched for what seemed to be the millionth time. She didn't say anything for a moment and his ears picked up on a sniffle. When he looked again her head was back tucked into her knees. He sighed and took a sharp left turn. After five minutes of driving down an empty road, he finally stopped in front of a formidable gate. Isabella watched as he typed in the code like he had at the other house.

It seemed like her mind should be racing with thoughts, but all she could feel was a severe terror that along with the cold air wracked her body. So, she did her best to stay still and try not to focus on the pain.

The mansion was even larger than the previous one and Isabella couldn't help but think it looked horribly foreboding.

Pulling into an enormous garage filled with undoubtedly priceless cars Edward parked the Volvo and got out. When she saw he was coming to her door she quickly shrank away to the other side. He opened the door anyways and reached over, pulling her to himself by her left ankle. She whimpered and another sob escaped. Edward moved away slightly and nodded his head impatiently.

"Come on girl, get out of the damn car and walk." She sniffled and ever so slowly inched towards the edge of the car. Nearly rolling his eyes, Edward pushed her out and she stood for almost a second before a piercing scream left her mouth and her right leg seemed to give out as she fell to the floor in a soft pile. After a slightly surprised moment, Edward crouched down and pulled her chin up slightly. Her eyes were pinched tight shut as tears streamed down her face, running over the still forming bruise left by Royce. Somewhat carefully he lifted her up and laid her back on the seat of the Volvo. His hands moved to the zipper of her too loose pants and she screamed once again, kicking and shrieking and shoving to try to move him. He hardly felt her struggle, and continued. "Calm down kid, I'm just checking your leg." She seemed to not hear his words and rather fell back, staring hopelessly at the roof of the car with empty, glassy eyes. He tugged her jeans off and his eyes widened a bit in shock. There were bruises coating the insides of her thighs and the the bottom of her white cotton panties were stained a bright red. Suddenly he felt quite a bit of pity for the girl, a rarity compared to his usual coldness. She was a child really, a child who was obviously maltreated, and it wasn't going to get much better under his own care. Slowly he removed his suit coat and laid it over her thighs and torso. She lay silent, and if it hasn't been for her shivers every few seconds he would have thought her dead. "Just hold on a second Isabella, I'll be done quick." She shuddered sharply at this and he winced at his choice of words before looking back down at her right knee. The skin at the top of the knee almost touching the knee cap was a dark purple color and swollen to several times the size of the left knee. It wasn't a very common place for a fracture and he wondered what could have possibly caused it. For that matter, he wondered how the hell she had been living on the streets without the ability to walk. Grabbing a first aid kit out of the trunk he grabbed an ace wrap and brought it around and around and around the injured area before securing it. It wasn't much, but he couldn't do more until Carlisle had a look at it. Not looking at her face he gently scooped her up once more, still surprised by her light weight. Making sure his jacket was tucked around her he walked her up to the front door, which was then opened by a slim young man with a gun protruding from his belt. Edward acknowledged the man with a nod before moving past swiftly. Her head lolled back and he shifted her slightly to ease the strain on her neck.

Her muscles remained limp, her eyes closed, and expression free from her face. He carried her easily through several hallways lined with doors to the very back of the mansion. The man, who had been walking silently behind him, moved carefully as he unlocked and opened the heavy door. After casting a look of pity at the girl, he looked straight ahead while holding the door open.

The bronze haired man ignored him as he carried Isabella down the creaky stairs into the dark, damp room below. Walking to the corner of the room, Edward slowly lowered the girl onto the ground, his hand supporting her head. He stayed in his crouched position for a moment, watching the outline of her chest go up and down, though her breath sounded ragged. She had yet to open her eyes or even make a sound again, and he wondered if perhaps she really had fallen asleep. He moved to stand up but hesitated, looking down once more. The room was horrid, the cement floors dirty and stained red, the air black and the smell putrid. It was intimidating, and purposely so. It was one of the main locations where he kept and interrogated those who crossed him, usually with the help of a few cousins. It was a place for violence and cruelty, not for sick little girls.

Almost without his permission Edwards arms gently picked up the girl once more, she was still wrapped in his jacket, but he could feel her shivering from cold among other things. Her body remained limp but she let out a small whimper which alerted him to her consciousness. The young man sighed lightly before making his way back up the stairs. He passed the confused looking man and moved on to the main staircase where he continued to go up, and then to the left where his room lay. He paused in front of the door across from his own before juggling Isabella in one hand and grabbing a set of keys out of his back pocket and opening the heavy door. His eyes scanned over the light blue walls, large dresser and flower patterned bedding searching for anything out of place. Seemingly satisfied the bronze haired man continued in and placed the girl on the soft mattress in the center of the room. He hated to put her in that particular room but aside from his own room and the basement it was the only room in the house that required a key to go in or out. A key that only he held. He quickly pulled away his coat and moved his hands to unzip her jeans once more. Her jaw quivered and his ground. He quickly removed them, leaving her panties as he continued on to her shirt. She flinched violently when she felt his fingers pulling the fabric away and another small whimper escaped. The man's eyes widened once more as he watched several more inches of black and blue skin appear underneath the girl's shirt. He swore loudly and ripped her shirt in his effort to remove it, his eyes never leaving the large bruise. Isabella sobbed openly once more her trembling hands weakly pushing his shoulders in her attempt to get away.

"N-No no please no I'm sorry sir it h-hurts too much-" she stuttered out between sobs, her stumbling tone difficult to decipher.

"Hey, hey come on kid. I'm not going to hurt you, just hold still. I'm calling a doctor ok? You're alright Isabella." He found himself trying to comfort her as he dialed Carlisle's number quickly. He attempted to calm the girl while listening to the ring. He swore when he got voicemail and hung up, sending him a text to call him before he turned back to Isabella who shook horribly. His eyes stared at the dark bruises coating the girl in front of him. He had done far worse damage than that dozens of times, but that was with evenly matched men. Men who knew exactly what they were signing up for when they got into the business. Who knowingly crossed him despite fully comprehending the repercussions. But here this girl, this child truly, could only be described as innocent. She was hurt so horrible and it appeared she had been in such a state for quite some time. And the fear, the desperation and hopelessness in her eyes was heart wrenching. She was just so fucking helpless and for some reason he couldn't resist the temptation to help her. To comfort and provide for and heal her in any way he could. Maybe it was simply because she was so small and lying in Alice's bed but those large eyes seemed to trap him and he found himself stroking her hair while shushing her quietly.

She trembled under his hands and the pitiful sobs continued to wrack her body.

Running a hand through his hair in frustrating Edward tried to decide what to do. She needed a doctor, but he couldn't very well take her to the hospital and Carlisle wasn't answering his phone. Moving gently, he pulled a blanket over her and hesitated before turning to enter the en suite bathroom. He turned on the tub and dumped some of Alice's fruity shit in before returning to Isabella. She was in the same spot, though she had turned as though to see what he was doing. "I'm just running you a bath kid, is that okay? We don't need any of your wounds getting infected." Her sobs had quieted and though her breathing was still jerky and panicked he could see her eyelids drooping with exhaustion. "I know you're tired, but you need to get clean first. It'll make you feel better I promise." He continued to speak softly as he lifted her up once more and brought her into the bathroom, though his words seemed to have little affect

She sobbed as he removed the rest of her clothing. When it became clear she was not listening to him he remained silent as she begged and pleaded with him to not touch her. With his own sleeves rolled up Edward lowered her into the warm tub, trying to avoid the water as it sloshed from her struggling movements. Despite her clear exhaustion and pain she continued to fight his every movement, and he soon found himself as wet as herself. Reminding himself to be patient with the little chit, he continued to scrub her skin quickly, horrified to realize that nearly all of the dark spots were in fact bruises rather than dirt.

This went on for nearly twenty minutes, until he finally drained the water and held her under the shower spray to remove the remaining grime from her thin body. She leaned into him weakly, her eyelids drifting shut and her sobs softer.

"All done, _cara_. I'm all done." He cooed to her softly as he wrapped her in a large towel and carried her back to the bed. She only whimpered as he pulled the soft blankets over her, and by the time he stood back she had already drifted off to sleep.

 **A/N: Hello readers! I've been toying with this story for quite some time now. I actually wrote this chapter about 2 years ago, and more recently have been working on some new ones. I'm not crazy about a continuous plot. I tend to skip around, capturing scenes that have ruminated in my mind for a few days and skipping over the rest.**

 **Let me know what directions you would like to see this story take. New ideas, however big or small, are always welcome.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: While their ages are not revealed in the text yet, I would like to state here that Isabella is legally an adult. Additionally, Edward is far from a perfect man. He is a hardened criminal. Though he makes an effort to be gentle with Isabella, try to keep this in mind.**

The men around him were roaring with laughter as Emmett regaled them all with the details of his wife discovering his newest _amante,_ as she was crawling out through the bedroom window. He glared into his brandy, watching as it swirled in the clear glass. He couldn't bring himself to enjoy the company, as his mind wandered to the most recent shipment which had been raided by the feds. The loss of 1,000 pounds of heroin was massive, but his concern lay in that it proved there was a mole in his inner circle. All of the _cogini_ should be trusted, considering the extensive history and testing that they all underwent. He had thought that his problems were resolved after he had taken care of Luca, the damn _bastardo_ , years ago. Taking a large swig, he glanced around the room. It was just the _fratelli_ here tonight, playing pool and becoming increasingly rowdy as the bottle of brandy became lighter.

Bright green eyes moved sharply and his fingers twitched toward the gun at his waist as he caught movement from the large doorway by the grand staircase. Doe eyes, frozen in the headlights, stared back at him in horror. The girl stood at the edge of the entrance, quivering in just a silky sleep number, brown hair tumbling over her shoulder. He could feel the desperation in her gaze, her eyes begging him to let her run, to pretend he never saw her. But quiet as the little mouse might be, he had caught her and his brandy washed brain told him not to let her go. He motioned for her to come, tuning out his _fratelli_ as they remained oblivious to the young woman. She hesitated and for the longest moment Edward wondered if she might have some strength after all, if she would attempt to defy him.

The moment didn't last. Shaking like a leaf and appearing as though she might be ill the girl slowly approached him, her delicate feet gliding across the dark wooden floors with grace despite her limp. His eyes fell on her left leg, deep bruises still apparent around her knee. Carlisle had said that her broken patella would take months to heal, and she shouldn't be bearing weight for at least 6 weeks without the brace that he had provided. Said brace was currently nowhere to be seen and he wondered at how she had managed the flight of stairs alone. Traveling up her long pale legs the edges of a single, lingering bruise could just barely be seen on her inner thigh below the trim of the blue shorts. She was stronger than she was aware of, he knew. His eyes met hers once more as she stopped in front of him.

"Sit _cara_." It wasn't a request, and his deep voice brought 8 other pairs of eyes to the trembling girl who had previously gone unnoticed. She closed her eyes and he heard a faint whimper, feeling her freeze up. Taking pity on her, he reached forward, pulling her down and into his side. Away from the cold air. Away from the curious and perhaps leering stares of his fratelli. A sharp look from him caused the air to shift back as Emmett quickly began another story and their attention returned to the game. Her face was willingly buried into his chest, he realized suddenly. The loveseat was small, but she could have chosen to distance herself toward the other end. He noted that the black cotton tee he was wearing was becoming damp with her tears as she balled herself into his side with an intensity that made him certain she would climb inside of his skin if she could. She was terrified. Her fear of Edward over-ridden by the absolute horror that being surrounded by all of these men instilled in her. He tightened his arm around her and stroked her hair gently, feeling himself soften to her. The poor child. What had happened to her? To bring this fragile little thing to this point? He could feel her ribs stabbing into his side with each breath. She needed more than he could give, and yet he felt his hand reaching under her chin, pulling her face up to meet his own. She was deathly pale, eyes swollen and looking in every direction frantically.

"Rilassati Isabella. You're safe with me." The words left his mouth without his permission. How could he promise that to this girl who he knew nothing about? Who he had kidnapped and locked in his own home? And yet it felt so vital in this moment to make her feel safe as it was painfully clear she had not felt in so long. A fresh sob wracked her body, but she remained silent, looking down at his chest. "Guardami ragazza." He commanded, the alcohol drawing out his native tongue. To his shock she obeyed him, continuing to tremble as her deep chocolate eyes met his own. "Parli Italiano?" Her eyes shot back down quickly and it looked as though she might faint. A chuckle rumbled in his chest. "Mi sorprendi. Chi sei veramente, Isabella Swan?" Even as asked the question he knew that the little thing before him couldn't hide a thing. Not on purpose anyways. James was taking his sweet time with the damn file.

"Non lo so bene. Solo a Antonio piace palare nella tua lingua." He masked his surprise at hearing her beautiful lilting voice and tilted his head at her words.

"Chi e questo Antonio?"

"Mio fratello. Credo.." She trailed off, her brow furrowed in confusion. He felt his own confusion follow at her words. She did not know this man's relation to her? A man who she had spent enough time with to learn an entire language? The girl was becoming more mysterious by the day. She seemed to be getting upset as she was lost in thought and he quickly changed the subject.

"What are you doing out of bed, little one?" the booze was surely getting to him at this point as the pet names slipped out and his hand found itself stroking her hair gently. Truthfully he was shocked to see her out of her room at all, as she had not yet left her room despite him leaving the door unlocked frequently. He shook his head at calling it her room, suddenly angered. Alice's room. It was Alice's room. The little chit before him was just staying there until he figured out what to do with her.

She immediately noticed the darkening of his eyes and the hand suddenly clenched in her hair and the tears began again. Ironically she felt herself burying her face into his chest once more, seeking comfort in the one she feared. A deep breath left him and he released his grasp on her hair, returning to the gentle strokes. He shifted as a particularly loud laugh from Jasper caused her to flinch, pulling her up so that she was tucked against him, forcing her face from his now soaked tee. "I understand that you are frightened, but you must learn not to ignore me when I speak to you". The gentle hand under her chin held unspoken threats despite his soft words and she swallowed loudly.

"I-" the tears returned. She couldn't seem to control herself and he found himself thinking again that she was so fragile. So weak. And yet, somehow he could feel that it wasn't a matter of her strength, so much as it was a matter of whatever she had been through. That wouldn't get her out of answering for her disrespect however, and he maintained his hold on her chin patiently. She took a deep breath, letting it out shakily and seeming to calm somewhat. "I heard the noise. I thought- I didn't – couldn't-" another breath. "I just wanted to see who was here. It sounded like my _fratelli."_ She trembled at the word and tried to break free of his grip. He tightened his arm, his mind racing at her use of the word. It hadn't alarmed him when she mentioned her possible _fratello_ before, but somehow when she spoke fratelli, he knew that she was not talking about her true family. She was talking about an Italian family. Mafia. And yet, she had said _her_ fratelli. Could this kitten before him truly be involved in the crime world? He was tempted to shove her into the couch and force the answers from her, and yet he could see that knowingly, she played no role in the violence of his world. Entering a room with 8 men was traumatic enough for her tonight. Any fool could tell she was terrified and confused. He couldn't force answers from her. She would have to be persuaded, and gently. And James would have to put a rush on her damn file.

"I meant it little girl. You won't be hurt here. You don't have to be afraid, unless you are hiding something from me." She sensed the questioning tone that he had ended with, despite his determination to let her relax tonight. Her chest tightened and suddenly she found it difficult to inhale.

"No, sir, I-I don't know any of it I don't I promise I-" He cut her off, feeling guilt at her stuttering fear.

"Hush. We will talk about this later." Guilt. That wasn't something he was familiar with. Perhaps with Alice, but never with anyone else. Not the men he killed. Not the women he fucked and left. Not the families he had torn apart. He shook his head, wondering suddenly just how much he had had to drink. He moved his glass to her lips, suddenly noticing how plush they were. "Drink." She obeyed immediately, as if on instinct, shuddering as it went down the back of her throat. To his shock she continued to drink the strong liquid, struggling to swallow it, her face cringing. He pulled the glass away, spilling some down her silk tank. She didn't look up as she coughed, staring down at her feet, her face as pale as ever. It was as if she was calmed by the command. By being told what to do. As though she needed direction, no matter how miserable that direction might be for her. _What had this girl gone through?_ He remained silent. Looking into his nearly empty glass. She must have downed at least two shots worth. She was so thin, and he hadn't meant for her to have more than a few sips to relax her. But what could he say? She had just been following his demands. It wasn't her fault that he had assumed she would hesitate or perhaps turn her head. "Have you eaten baby girl?" his tone was soft again.

She nodded in response. "I had the fruit you brought me yesterday." His head tilted, his mind racing. Did she mean the small bowl of kiwi he had seen her nibble at from her breakfast tray? Did she not eat when he wasn't there with her? He knew she was receiving plentiful food as he had ordered the cook to bring her trays three times a day with snacks in between. Again Edward became aware of the ribs digging into his side.

"Fanculo. You cannot be drinking like this on an empty stomach. What-" he trailed off. He couldn't ask what she had been thinking. She was just obeying him. And now she would suffer because of his thoughtless orders. "You have to eat _cara_ " the endearment slipped out without his notice and she shook under his disapproval, unable to mutter a word. She closed her eyes tightly, expecting a slap, but he just pushed her face gently back into his chest, stroking her cheek. "Just relax. I'll take care of you" he found himself saying, suddenly aware of his "brothers" once more. They had carried on with their game, ignoring their capo and his _pet_ in the corner. She was a beautiful little thing but they new better than to allow their eyes to wander around the boss' toys.

His shirt was wet again. He tightened his grip and stood up softly, pulling her against his side so that her legs dangled in front and behind of him, her face scrunched into his shoulder.

"Tornero." he said to nobody in particular, whisking the girl from the room and back up the stairs. She felt like a child in his arms with her lightness, and yet looking down at her long, soft legs he had to admit that she was no child. He cringed, his mind wandering to that lingering bruise below the edge of her shorts. Did more remain? Had there been more before the ones he first witnessed? How many times had she been hurt, and by how many men? He shook the thoughts from his head and yet found himself carrying her to his own bedroom and bringing her into the adjoining bathroom. He shifted her slightly, leaning down to start the water in the Jacuzzi bath. She started slowly at the noise, her eyes struggling to focus as she turned her head. She looked up at him in confusion but did not seem afraid.

"You are covered in brandy and tears. Let me wash you." He stated bluntly. Her head bobbed slightly, her neck weak and eyes continuing to struggle to focus. She nodded slightly, returning her face to his shoulder. He was surprised to sense the trust that she was placing in him. Did he succeed in making he feel safe with him? Did she truly believe he would not hurt her, to the extent of letting him bathe her willingly? His mind wandered to the first night when he had brought her to his home. He had struggled to bathe her then. She cried and thrashed despite her pain and exhaustion as he attempted remove the dirt and blood caked onto her body. Perhaps it was just the alcohol. He shook his head. It didn't matter.

As the water rose in the tub he leaned her against the counter and began to pull her tank over her head, noting that she wasn't wearing a bra. She swayed, falling against him once more and he sighed, adjusting her to remove the shorts. No underwear either. She certainly hadn't been expecting to be seen, by the looks of it. He felt a flash of guilt once more for forcing her to come into the room with his _fratelli_. And yet here she was, allowing him to strip her naked without complaint. He scooped her up, kicking off his pants as approached the tub, and set her into the warm water gently. She moaned, and her head lolled back. He caught it quickly, yanking off his shirt and climbing in behind her in just his boxers. He pulled her back against his chest, feeling the warm water envelope them, the gentle splashing the only noise in the large bathroom suite. She didn't say a word as he started moving a soapy rag across her chest, taking care not to let his touch linger. He continued to bathe her, noticing her eyes occasionally flutter open to look at him as she remained limp in his arms. He found himself kneading her shoulders soothingly, feeling so much tension beneath his fingers. The girl was a fucking mess. She moaned at his touch and he tensed at the sound. Her soft noises continued and he stopped suddenly, realizing the water needed to get very cold, or he needed to get away from her naked body.

"Fuck." he whispered. She startled, turning slowly, her head still unstable on her neck. He stared at her orbs, wondering what the hell he was doing. She was drunk. Completely shitty, and it was his own fault. And now he was in the bath with her, naked, feeling himself harden at her moaning. His mind flashed to that damn bruise, and her fear at being surrounded by men, and he felt ill. "Come, _cara_. Let me put you to bed." His voice was like velvet as it wrapped around her soothingly and she leaned against him once more. He stood, bringing her with him, and pulled a towel from the stack. He wrapped the plush material around her gently, noting her rake thin arms covered in goose bumps. She didn't say a word as he brought her to his bed, laying her down on the silk sheets, both of them still dripping wet. Grabbing a T-shirt, he helped her to pull it over her head, pausing as he went to pull it past her slim hips.

"Can I look?" the soft voice questioned her, and she found herself nodding again, uncaring. She just wanted to sleep. He laid her head back on the pillow, and ever so gently pulled her legs apart. She tried to sit up, whimpering, suddenly more alert.

"No signore please please please-" He shushed her, pushing her firmly back down as she continued to whimper and plead with him, trying to close her legs with the little strength she could find. The realization that she was so weak and disoriented seemed to crash down on her and she started to cry softly, her pleading slurred and hiccups starting. Ignoring her pleading, he glanced down between her legs. The bruise he had seen earlier was indeed not the only one remaining. Several small marks were scattered around, still a drastic improvement from when he had first seen her. And most importantly, there was no active bleeding which was what he had feared most. She hadn't let Carlisle look there, and he hadn't been able to bring himself to forcefully hold her down so that Carlisle could complete his examination. The doctor had warned him however that if the bleeding continued she needed to be looked at in case it required stitches. He closed her legs gently, pulling the shirt down further and pulling the covers over her. Edward found himself kissing her forehead gently, whispering soft comforts into her ear and stroking her hair. It wasn't long before she was asleep, tear tracks staining her smooth skin. He stared for a moment before shaking his head and turning to get dressed once more. He had to return to his fratelli. He needed to discuss the shipment _problem_ with his inner circle, as it appeared that they alone could be truly trusted. He left the room without glancing back, locking the door behind him.

 **A/N: Thank you for all of the reviews last chapter. Like most authors here, I am highly encouraged to continue when I hear that people enjoy this story.**

 **Thoughts? Ideas? Questions?**


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